J.J. Merhottein slides into third base for the Lehigh Valley Forge.
By Sean Reilly
If you’re a kid who loves playing baseball, is there a better way to begin your birthday than playing an early morning doubleheader at Diamond Nation?
Saturday was Devin Pula’s 12th birthday, and as much as he loved the chance to compete for his EEP Bandits 11U Gray team at 8 and 10 a.m, he indeed found a way to make it even more special.
Pula hit a home run in each game, as his New York City team beat the Lehigh Valley Forge, 13-5, in the first contest, and then followed immediately after with an 11-5 victory over North Shore Giants-Dooley at the 11U Summer Finale, Powered By Victus, in Flemington.
Those results, combined with a 15-5 triumph over the Hudson Valley Renegades on Friday night, allowed the Bandits to finish first in its pool, and earn a championship matchup against the NJ Bolts on Sunday afternoon. The EEP Bandits are now 63-19-2 in 2024.
Pula was 2-for-3 in Saturday’s first game, with a two-run home run coming in his final at-bat for a 9-5 lead. He was greeted by a chorus of “Happy Birthday To You,” by his team’s supporters as he approached home plate.
Oliver Luerssen connects on RBI single for the EEP Bandits.
In the later game, he was also 2-for-3, with a homer for a 1-0 lead in the opening inning. He also pitched the first three frames to earn the win.
“It feels nice,” he said of his birthday performance, particularly the home runs. “It’s special to play on my birthday, and I can celebrate it with my guys and my coaches. I have so much fun playing baseball.”
In the matchup against Lehigh Valley, Pula helped EEP open a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
He singled to center field, advanced on a wild pitch, and scored on a double to right field by Lou Giancola, who finished 3-for-3 with three doubles and three runs.
EEP added three runs in both the second and third innings to extend its lead to 7-0.
Oliver Luerssen hit an RBI single and scored when Eli Valdez reached on an error, and Sire Hall drew a bases-loaded walk in the second inning.
Elvis Mordan drew a leadoff walk before Giancola doubled again to right field in the third. Moises Ulloa hit an RBI ground out to shortstop and Giancola scored on a wild pitch. Sebastian Abreu walked and later scored on a fielder’s choice grounder from Alexander Takahashi.
Takahashi was the starting pitcher, and retired all six batters he faced, three by strikeout.
Lou Giancola, who hit three doubles, scores on a wild pitch for EEP Bandits 11U.
Lehigh Valley touched up the EEP bullpen for five runs in the bottom of the third, with Max Petruska hitting an RBI single between the pitcher and first base before Leo Abruzere and J.J. Merhottein drew bases-loaded walks. Wyatt Kowalski hit a two-run double with two out to draw the Forge within 7-5.
Pula’s two-run home run to right-center also scored Hall with two out in the fourth.
The final four runs came in the fifth, which opened with back-to-back grounds rule doubles from Giancola and Ulloa for a 10-5 lead. Joshua Ronka was safe on an error, and Vincent Mangiafridda hit an RBI single compounded by an error that scored another run. Mangiafridda wound up on third, and scored on a base hit by Jayden Lerma, who ended 2-for-3.
Petruska was 2-for-2 for Lehigh Valley.